The present invention relates generally to a new and unique device for releasably holding an object in a plurality of positions. More specifically, the invention relates to a device, which can be mounted in a plurality of positions in a plurality of ways, for releasably holding objects of variable sizes in a plurality of positions.
Given the demands of today's modern society, there is a constant demand for new methods and apparatuses for holding or retaining certain objects. This demand is fueled by, to mention only a few, the fast-paced lifestyle many people face, and the somewhat cramped conditions in which people work and live.
For instance, many people currently live a long distance from their place of employment. Accordingly, those people must commute substantial distances to and from work each day, taking up valuable time. Before some people feel up to the tasks of the day, they need to have their morning coffee, or other suitable breakfast drink, in order to "get the day going." However, because some of these people live such a far distance away from their places of employment, they often must forego their morning beverage in order to save time. This often results in reduced effectiveness in the workplace.
In an effort to avoid this reduced effectiveness and to still save time, some people take their morning beverages with them, and consume them as they drive to work. This, however, can be dangerous because the driver must keep one hand on his beverage container in order to prevent the beverage contained therein from spilling. This prevents the driver from keeping both hands on the steering wheel, thereby compromising his own safety as well as the safety of the other drivers and pedestrians in his vicinity. In order to solve this safety problem, a beverage container holder is often used. However, these beverage container holders are often useful with only one particular construction of a beverage container. Thus, when a person uses a differently constructed beverage container, the holder is useless, thereby causing the original, unsafe highway condition to return.
Other problems are caused by the restricted utility of other holding apparatuses. For example, many people experience shortages of closet space. In order to be able to place more and more material into a closet, many people place a horizontal dowel rod therein and hang objects from the dowel rod. The dowel rod is usually mounted on the walls of the closet by a holding apparatus designed specifically to hold a certain dowel rod configuration.
As a person suspends more and more articles from the dowel rod, the rod begins to bend under the increased weight. To solve this problem before the rod breaks under the combined weight of the articles, the rod is often replaced by a thicker, stronger rod. However, the replacement process is not that easy. Because the holding apparatus was constructed to work with a particularly configured dowel rod, the holding apparatus is not suitable for employment with a thicker, differently configured rod. Accordingly, not only must the dowel rod be replaced, but also the holding apparatus must be replaced.
The holding device, constructed according to the teachings of the present invention, provides solutions to the above-stated problems and others. The present invention is capable of releasably holding objects of various sizes. Thus, the holding device of the present invention can be effectively employed with beverage containers and dowel rods, for example, having different constructions and external configurations. Because the holding device can hold different configurations and constructions, it is capable of holding an object in a plurality of positions. Also, the holding device itself can be mounted in a plurality of positions, so that the holding device can, in turn, releasably hold objects in a further plurality of positions.